


this home is home, and all that I need

by apatternedfever



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-24
Updated: 2015-10-24
Packaged: 2018-04-27 19:38:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5061376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apatternedfever/pseuds/apatternedfever
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Marauders gather on Halloween night, 1980.</p>
            </blockquote>





	this home is home, and all that I need

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mercurie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mercurie/gifts).



These days, something as simple as a door opening unexpectedly sets everyone on edge. Remus can see the tension draining from the room as everyone realizes it's safe, the hands moving away from wands, the way Lily swings back around so that Harry isn't half-hidden by her body anymore. For that one moment, it's almost unbearably sad, the way an expected guest can set the whole household on edge; but Lily's smile is as bright as ever as she moves towards them, and James' hand is warm as he claps his shoulder, as thoughtlessly careful as he always has been.

"Glad you could come," Lily says, drawing Remus into a one-armed hug.

"Happy Halloween," Remus answers, kissing her cheek. "Where's Peter?"

"Working. He'll be by later." James is tucking his wand away as he walks away from the door, and Remus forces himself not to dwell on the ache that wants to be there all the time, lately. Checking the locks and warding spells after every entrance has become commonplace; Remus does it too. He doesn't like thinking about what kind of world that speaks to.

"Where's my godson?" Sirius demands, a little too loud not to be covering for the same thoughts, purposefully knocking into James one more time as he moves towards Lily. Remus catches his hand as he passes, unspeakably grateful for the act of normality as the rest of them try to remember what it's like, for trying to make everyone laugh a little.

Normality, ridiculousness, they're both hard to come by, lately. But tonight isn't a night to think about that.

Tonight is for watching Sirius' face melt into the bright, ridiculous smile he always wears around Harry when Lily carefully hands over her sleeping son. It's for leaning on Sirius' shoulder on the couch as he and James recount one of the few happy stories about Order business, carefully talking around anything serious; for Lily's ringing laughter as the three of them heap increasingly exaggerated praise on her food. And he still jumps, still puts his hand to his wand when Peter finally walks in, they all do; but they recover. Sirius makes a joke. James get him a plate. The night goes on, and there's still the warmth of James standing next to him outside, smoking and watching the stars; the warmth of James looking him over for injury and signs of pain, trying and failing to hide it as always. Sirius fiddling with the baby toys because he never can be still, smacking a kiss against Remus' cheek when he rolls his eyes at his exaggerations. Peter laughing too hard at the same familiar stories, like he hasn't gotten a chance to laugh lately; his half-panicked face when he's unexpectedly called on to hold Harry, still unsure about what to do with a baby. Lily sharing his worried and exasperated looks in equal measure as James and Sirius share more and more over-the-top stories, showing off for each other more than anyone else; her arms warm around him in a hug as he says goodbye.

There's still quiet moments, too many pauses where the stories and the talk comes too close to death and danger, the war around the edges of even the happiest stories. But it's a nice night.

"It was," Sirius agrees when Remus voices the thought, opening the door to their flat. "Maybe next year we can go to Hogsmede. Take Harry around to see some of the decorations, get dinner at the Three Broomsticks."

It hasn't been safe to go to Hogsmede in a long time, especially not with Harry. The last time Remus has to, for Order business, it was practically a ghost town, even the residents tucked away inside and not out shopping. The chances of that changing by next year is unlikely, but right now, warm and pleased and comforted by a night where nothing went wrong, Remus can almost imagine that it's possible.

"Maybe next year," he agrees, leading Sirius inside.


End file.
